Underground Mine Communications

• An underground mine is continually being extended, and on-site trades must be able to extend the networks, without needing specialist contractors. The “big design up front” approach just does not work.

• The environment is harsh with rough ground, mobile heavy machinery, dusty conditions, and no cable trays or smooth surfaces. As a result, physical damage is a fact of life and systems must be able to withstand this constant pressure.

• There is an absence of accessible low voltage power in the working areas. 

RFI’s Digital Drift radiating wireless system is unique in that it delivers Gigabit speed networking and continuous Wi-Fi or LTE coverage using a single leaky coaxial (LCX) cable. 
It integrates with a site’s existing fibre network and is powered down the LCX cable. 
The system provides the wireless network backbone and works with all the major OEMs of automated guidance systems.

As automation increases and the number of people underground is reduced, the need for critical voice communications with those underground workers has become even more important.

While many vendors have stopped investing in VHF and UHF line amplifiers, RFI has stepped into this gap and now engineers modern line amplifiers that:

• Are interoperable with existing leaky feeder radio systems
• Use learning algorithms to dynamically adapt to system changes
• Have two-way diagnostics with the surface including auto topology mapping
• Solve the multi-channel auto gain control problem that afflicts the incumbent line amplifiers on the market

In addition to its leaky feeder network offering, RFI has been the default choice for decades when selecting:

• Mobile antennas for underground vehicles, due to their superior range and robustness.
• Multi-coupling equipment in the radio head-ends that drive leaky feeder networks.

RFI provides the network connectivity to enable these control systems and is compatible with the protocols used by all the major OEMs.

More importantly, RFI can offer a telemetry network that meets a project’s budget rather than the one size fits all approach used by others. Choose from either:

• Reliable leaky feeder line amplifiers that improve the coverage and reliability of radio modems (as used in secondary fan starter cabinets)
• Digital Drift’s power and Ethernet over Coax connectivity to control panels – using either dedicated coaxial cabling or your existing leaky feeder radio system cabling
• Digital Drift radiating Wi-Fi or LTE, which provide mine-wide wireless data networks.